Was Jeff Lacy all hype? Or did Calzaghe just ruin a good fighter?

209-22 as an amateur

1993
Jr Olympics, 132, (bronze):
+ PTS ****** Byrum
+ PTS Miguel Figueroa
- PTS Jeffrey Resto

1994
US Junior Champs, 132, (silver):
+ WO Zab Judah
+ RSCH 1 John Gonzalez
+ PTS Kevin Curry
- PTS Jorge Hawley

1995
US Junior Champs, 147, (silver):
+ RSC 1 Randy Santore
+ RSC 3 Courtney Burton
- PTS Brandon Mitchem

1996
Eastern Trials, 165, (bronze):
+ RSC 1 Kenneth Head
+ PTS Rubin Williams
- PTS Darnell Wilson

1997
National Golden Gloves, 165, (bronze):
+ PTS Jacob Lee
+ PTS Rubin Williams
- PTS Randy Griffin

World Championships, 165:
+1TKO Thapelo Setlalekgosi BOT, WC Budapest
-PTS Dilshod Yarbekov UZB, WC Budapest

Muhammad Ali Cup, 165, (silver)
+ 15-14 Denis Inkin ROS, Louisville (75)
+19-4 Oleg Bokalo UKR, Louisville
-10-17 Brian Magee IRL, Louisville

1998
US Championships, 165, (gold):
+ RSC 2 George Klinesmith
+ RSC 2 Daniel Garcia
+ PTS Lafarell Bunting
+ RSC 2 Arthur Palac
+ PTS Randy Griffin

PAL Championships, 165, (gold):
+2TKO Jeff Powell USA, Colorado Springs
+3TKO Raymond Judd USA, Colorado Springs
+1TKO Deon Lyons USA, Colorado Springs
+PTS Jerson Ravelo USA, Colorado Springs
+PTS Yusef Mack USA, Colorado Springs

USA-England, 165:
+ PTS Ian Cooper, Middlesbrough Eng

1999
US Championships, 156, (silver):
+22-11 Julius Fogle USA, Colorado Springs
+1TKO Ramaro Johnson USA, Colorado Springs
+23-8 LaFarrell Bunting USA, Colorado Springs
-11-13 Arthur Palac USA, Colorado Springs

National Golden Gloves, 156:
-PTS Romaro Johnson USA,

US Challenge, 156:
- PTS Jerson Ravelo
+ RSC 2 Lafarell Bunting

USA-South Korea, 156:
+ PTS Ho-Chul Kim (KOR)

PAL Championships, 156, (gold):
+ RSC 3 Cornell Hester
+ RSC 2 Daniel Edouard
+ PTS Yusef Mack
+ PTS Eric Simmons
+ PTS William Gibbs

USA-Argentina, 156:
+ RSC 2 Mariano Carrera (ARG)

2000
US Olympic Trials, 165:
+ PTS Brad Austin
+ PTS Jerson Ravelo
+ PTS Randy Griffin

US Olympic Box-Offs, 165:
-9-12 Arthur Palac USA, Mashantucket CT
+10-9 Arthur Palac USA, Mashantucket CT

1st America´s Olympic Qualifier, 165, (gold):
+PTS Alex James (GRN)
+ RSC 2 Stephan Boyd (JAM)
+ PTS Jhim Rodriguez (VEN)
+ WO Donald Orr (CAN)

USA-Mexico, 165:
-6-13 David Leyva Sanchez MEX, Mashantucket CT

USA-Ukraine, 156:
+2-1 Oleg Butz UKR, Fort Worth TX

Olympic Games, 165:
+3TKO Cleiton Conceicao BRA, Sydney OG
+PTS Pawel Kakietek POL, Sydney OG
-3TKO Gaidarbek Gaidarbekov RUS, Sydney OG <<< the eventual gold medalist, an excellent fighter, and only missed out on being a 2 x gold medalist by losing by 2 pts in the final of the other Olympics he fought in (a fight that could've gone either way)


Lacy suffered a terrible shoulder injury in the 2nd round of his very next fight after the vicious shellacking he received at the hands of Calzaghe, a fight in which Joe was actually putting weight into a higher percentage of his shots than he did in his last few fights when his hands were even more shot than they were at that stage of his career. 97% of the tendon in Lacy's shoulder had been ripped clean off the bone and the surgeons had to remove the whole thing and reattach it from scratch.

Lacy's record post Calzaghe/shoulder injury

WMD 10 Vitaly Tsypko in a fight that could easiy have been scored against him.

WUD 10 Peter Manfredo in a fight that could have been scored against him too (I haven't seen it since it was broadcast but I remember thinking it was mighty close at the time).

WMD 10 Epifanio Mendoza - another razor-close one apparently.

LUD 12 via schooling to Jermain Taylor.

WMD 10 Otis Griffin - Griffin said this was a really bad robbery and that he won 8 of the 10 rounds.

LRTD 10 to Roy Jones

LUD 12 to the 23-19-7 Dhafir Smith.

WTKO3 to the 20-16-2 Martin Verdin.

LTKO2 Umberto Savigne.

WUD 8 over the 9-18 Timothy Hall Jr.

LTKO4 Sullivan Barrera




ROY JONES JR
Lacy wins, and I'll tell you why. One of the main factors that would lead to a Lacy win is Calzaghe's heart.

I'm not saying Calzaghe dosen't have heart, I'm saying he has too much!

When Lacy nails Calzaghe and hurts him then Joe will try to get payback, and then he will be open to really get hurt - which he will.


JAMES TONEY
Joe Calzaghe-Jeff Lacy is a mismatch. Lacy is going to destroy that boy. He's too strong, he's a fighter - he's proved himself.

Calzaghe never did anything. He beat Chris Eubank nine years ago, but what has he done since then? He's a joke, that's why he keeps pulling out of fights.

I wouldn't be surprised if he pulled out of this one. Everybody in the UK is over-protected, but Lacy will be OK, because he's a fighter.


NIGEL BENN
I remember seeing Lacy a while back on Joe's undercard and I wasn't impressed, wasn't impressed. But he seems to of really knuckled down and improved since then.

I saw him fight Robin Reid and I was impressed, he looked good and he'll give Joe some stick. I reckon both guys will take abit of stick.

Lacy seems to like to maraud forward and Joe has always thrown a lot of leather. I reckon they'll both take some stick but you have to go with Joe, he has that killer instinct and fast punches to get the job done but he'll take some stick man, take some stick.


ROBIN REID
Make no mistake about it - three, five, eight or 10 years ago and Calzaghe would of overcome a Jeff Lacy. I really think Calzaghe of years gone by was too strong, too fast and too flashy for Jeff.

But I'm definately predicting a Lacy win now. Calzaghe's chin is not as strong as it once was due to wars against Eubank, Sheika, Brewer, Mitchell, Salem and so on.

Also, the main factor is that Joe's left hand is very prone to injury and he'll need to hit Jeff as hard as he can to keep him off him.

I think Calzaghe may injure his hand during the fight and get ruthlessly stopped in the mid-rounds by Jeff Lacy. Fight over.


MIKKEL KESSLER
I predict it will be an excellent match but if the fight goes past six rounds Joe Calzaghe will be victorious.

Whilst Lacy has obvious power I think Joe has too much experience and too much boxing ability for him.

If Calzaghe stays away from the obvious power of Lacy early on he will come out victorious.


RICHIE WOODHALL
My money's on Joe but I would have preferred this fight to have come five years sooner.

Joe's on home soil and, although it's great when the crowd's behind you, they can spur you on and force you into boxing the wrong style.

If he stands and fights with Lacy, Joe will come unstuck because Lacy's got a lot of power and is the best short-range fighter in the division.

But Joe will show intelligence and keep it mid-to-long range. I think he'll box cleverly on the back foot and win on points.


CARL FROCH
I think Calzaghe's left it a couple of years too late. Two years ago he would have beaten Lacy on points.

But he doesn't look as sharp and tough as he used to, and I think Lacy will get him out of there within the distance.

The last few fights Calzaghe's hit the deck a couple of times and that shows a bit of vulnerability.

I've got a feeling Calzaghe will make the mistake of being drawn into a fight, because he's a proud man. He'll come unstuck, because Lacy is a big puncher.


STEVE BUNCE
Calzaghe will win it. Lacy hasn't beaten anybody who's been anywhere near their best.

He's the American idol but he's really not that special. Hopefully Joe has enough left and has not left it too late for the big fight.


CLINTON WOODS
Calzaghe may have a few sticky moments early on if Lacy comes out banging but Joe is strong enough to deal with it.

I can then see him winning it late on and stopping Lacy, maybe in the eighth or ninth round.

I hope he does it, it's great for us British fighters to show the Amercians what we can do.


FRANK MALONEY
It will be a tough fight for Joe and I can see it being very close.

It could go to points but I think having that crowd behind him in Manchester will play a big factor and give him the edge.


FREDDIE ROACH
Lacy is too strong for Calzaghe. It will not go the distance.

I see Lacy ending it in the later rounds, possibly by the 10th.


JEFF FENECH
I don't see how Calzaghe can keep Lacy off of him.

I wouldn't be surprised by a knockout, but I think it will probably be by a dominant unanimous decision.


Glenn Catley, who Calzaghe beat in the 1992 ABA final, is going for a Lacy win.

Chris Sanigar, who's fighters Joe beat in successive ABA finals (Catley in 92 and Darren Dorrington in 1993), predicts that Calzaghe will win.

John Garfield ESB's greatest poster RIP

Originally Posted by John Garfield

''Lacy had me believing, and I've watched a zillion fighters train since the '40s. He was wrecking big heavyweights sparring. Trainers needed extra padding to do mits; 'n even then, he dislocated elbows.''

''Lacy was a legit bomber, A. He may've been ponderous 'n predictable, but he had HEAVY HEAVY hands.''

''I Watched him in the gym, when he first came to L.A.

No super middle, no one, would spar with him -- was flattening cruiserweights. Freddie Roach had to get braces for his elbows when he worked pads with him.

The only other time I'd seen that happen was when Freddie worked with Tyson.''

''Everyone in the gym was convinced he was the goods. Even James Toney, who throws compliments around like manhole covers, said, "Lacy's the man when I'm not here''

Was Lacy the reincarnation of a prime Tyson? No but he was a good fighter before the combination of the vicious beating Calzaghe administered to him and that terrible shoulder injury ruined him.

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